Nigerian government says 6 former ruling party members stole N19.5 billion

The Nigerian government has said that six members of the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stole nothing less than N19, 530, 000, 000 from the state purse while in government.

The government said some of them are making case for a plea bargain and settle out of court.

Alhaji Lai Mohammad, Nigeria's Information Minister reeled out the numbers during a press conference in Lagos, the commercial nerve centre on Friday, noted by his special assistant, Segun Adeyemi.

Alhaji Mohammed said he move to release the name of looters was prompted by the former ruling party challenge to the government to make open the names of those that looted the State treasury.

“The PDP has challenged us to name the looters under their watch. They said they did not loot the treasury. Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch. Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology. Let's just give them a teaser with this list”, Alhaji Mohammed said.

He said the list is “just a tip of the iceberg, and the PDP is aware of this. We did not make these cases up. Many of these cases are in court and the records are available”.

The names of the alleged looters and amounts as released by the Nigerian government

1. The PDP former secretary and now Chairman, Uche Secondus - N200 million only from the office of then NSA

2. Former PDP Financial Secretary - N600 million only from the office of then NSA

3. Former National Publicity Secretary, Olisah Metuh, who is currently on trial - N1.4b from the office of then NSA

4. The ace Broadcaster and Chairman of DAAR Communications, Dr Raymond Dokpesi – on trial - N2.1 billion from the office of then NSA

5. Former SSA to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei - on trial - N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies

6. Former President Goodluck Jonathan's Cousin Robert Azibaola - $40 million (N14.4 billion) from the office of then NSA

President Muhammadu Buhari came to power on May 29, 2015, as an anti-corruption crusader but his government has also been tainted with various corruption allegations. Some of them were shrouded in secrecy while some are still under investigations.

Popular among the case was the former Secretary to Government of Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, who was suspended as by President Buhari on April 19, 2017, and officially relieved of all duties on 30 October 2017 for misappropriating funds intended for alleviating the food crisis in Nigeria's Northeast, caused largely by Boko Haram.

Nigerian government says 6 former ruling party members stole N19.5 billion

The Nigerian government has said that six members of the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stole nothing less than N19, 530, 000, 000 from the state purse while in government.

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